How to get copyright permission?

How to get copyright permission?

Most artists are inspired by some or the other work. Nothing for that matter is original; inspirations are what drive each artist. There is a very thin line between getting inspired and copying something as is to release the work in your name. Many a times people take it for granted that any artwork can be lifted and reused. This is totally incorrect and it is essential to obtain copyrights before using any work.

• Analyse if you require copyrights for the material

For this, you need to know if the work or material that you are using is protected under the Law. If the answer is yes, then will you be violating that Law if you use that material without any permission? Sometimes it can get really difficult to find answers to these questions. That’s when it becomes crucial to find the owner of the material before proceeding further. Many take things lightly and use whatever they find without taking any permission.

• Find out if the content falls in the public domain.

You are very lucky if that’s the case as you can pick that material without taking any permission. Many a times, the owner does not renew the copyright license for their material. Older materials generally fall into the public domain, making them freely usable.   

• Hunt the owner

If the material does not belong to the public domain then find out if you are violating a law. One way to do that is by finding out who the owner of the material is and what type of copyright the material is associated with.  Some copyright terms allow fair use of the material. This means that small bits of the material can be used without any copyright infringement issue. 

• Understand the Type of Copyright

Once the owner of the material is contacted, you can find out if the copyright is Exclusive or non-exclusive. Go through the Term of use in detail, meaning the time period of the agreement and other such specifics. Some Copyrights are sometimes sold in certain territories as well. In short, carefully understand each and every clause of the existing copyright. 

• Negotiate and Sign a Written Agreement

The next step would be to negotiate with the owner and work out the best deal based on your requirements. Last but not the least, always remember to sign a contract or an agreement, mentioning all the required details so that you are safe in every possible way. 

Ultra Media and Entertainment Pvt. Ltd, is one of the leading film distribution and content distribution companies in India which offers top services in the film rights and all kinds of copyrights.